


A Walk in the Forest

by Memorycharm (tzy)



Category: Fairy Tales and Related Fandoms, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: crossover_hp, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-04-08
Updated: 2005-04-08
Packaged: 2017-11-05 01:34:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/401001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tzy/pseuds/Memorycharm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tale of boys and toads.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Walk in the Forest

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2005 for a crossover_hp ficathon on LJ.

This is a story about boys and toads. Two boys and one wanderlust-inflicted toad, to be precise. The first boy was heroic and famous and clever and very good at many things. The other boy was round and soft and clumsy and not very good at anything except messing about with plants. 

One day, the first boy--whose name was Harry--got hit with a curse thrown by a nasty, pale-haired boy who hated him. Harry fell to the floor, and the pale-haired boy laughed cruelly. Neville (the soft, clumsy boy) ran over, as did Harry's other friends (who were called Ron and Hermione). "Harry!" they all said, prodding his arms and looking into his eyes. 

Harry blinked once and opened his mouth. "Er... erp," he said. Trevor (who was Neville's toad), chose that moment to hop directly on top of Ron's head and croak wildly. 

"Trevor! Get down," Neville said, plucking the toad from Ron's hair. "Sorry. I don't know what's got into him."

"Er... erp," Harry said again. 

Malfoy (that was the pale-haired boy's name) cackled. "This is even better than I'd hoped!" he said. "It was supposed to switch Potty with Longbottom, not Longbottom's _toad_." He clutched his sides and laughed. 

Ron jumped to his feet and was about to draw his wand on Malfoy when a teacher (for they were all at school) came around the corner and put a stop to it by taking points from Ron and telling Malfoy to return to his common room. A chorus of "Not fair!" and "But Malfoy started it!" rose up from Ron, Hermione, and Neville. Trevor croaked frantically and hopped from Neville's hands to Ron's shoulders, then back again.

The teacher (who was fond of Malfoy and loathed the others) curled his lip and took more points, then told them to clear out of the corridor, or they'd all have detentions. Reluctantly, they went quiet, and the teacher stalked away.

Only then did they notice Harry seemed to have wandered off, too.

 

They searched everywhere, from the dungeons to the highest towers (for their school was in a castle. Doesn't that sound lovely?), but couldn't find Harry. Neville got more and more worried with every passing moment. What if his toad took Harry's body off somewhere and broke it, or lost it forever? 

It ought to have been him; Malfoy said so. Not that he would wish his body on anyone, but at least it could walk and speak. Trevor croaked miserably. Neville would have taken excellent care of Harry's body. Harry's body was... important to Neville. Not that Harry knew it. "Sorry, Harry," Neville whispered to his toad. "I'll find you." But... where would Trevor go? Neville's eyes flitted over the castle grounds, finally landing on the forest. The dark, damp forest, which was teeming with insects and other tasty things toads liked to eat.

"What do you think?" he asked. 

Harry-the-toad croaked.

"All right. Let's go," Neville said, putting Harry on his shoulder and heading toward the forest. He was terrified, but tried desperately not to show it. 

 

The shade of the trees enveloped Neville, and they seemed to close behind him as he walked along the pathway leading into the heart of the forest.

It was spring, and the forest was exploding with blossoms (both sweet and foul smelling). Sunlight dappled the way, and a light breeze ruffled through Neville's hair. He walked for a very long time without coming across a single clue as to Harry's whereabouts. The path grew more and more crooked, and several times he nearly stumbled over some thick roots in the way. 

After a time, he heard a noise ahead of him. It sounded like someone humming, and it came from a clearing, several yards off the path. "Harry?" Neville called. The toad on his shoulder croaked in his ear. "Um, Trevor, I mean?"

"Who's there?" a scratchy voice yelled. Neville jumped, then--with a deep breath--walked toward the voice. In the clearing was a small, colourful house, and the voice came from inside it. "Come closer," the voice said. "This old hag's eyes aren't as they used to be."

Seconds later, a hag emerged from the house, carrying a large wooden spoon. "Oooh, you're nice and plump," she said, poking Neville's middle with the spoon. "Pity you're not a Muggle. I haven't seen a sweet, plump Muggle boy in ages. The last one--Harold? Henry?--was nothing but bones!" She gave a little shiver.

"You saw another boy? Did he have black hair? And green eyes? Which way did he go?" Neville asked. 

"Come in and have some tea and biscuits," the old witch said, poking Neville's middle once more. "I don't recall what the skinny little thing looked like. My eyes aren't as they used to be, you know. His name was Horace? Hannibal? Hans? Hansel! Nasty little boy and his sister locked me in my own oven. Couldn't get out for three weeks!" She reached up and broke off a bit of her house (which, upon closer inspection, seemed to be made entirely of sweets) and offered it to Neville.

"Um. I really ought to be going," Neville said, not wanting to appear rude, but really wanting to continue looking for Harry.

The witch broke off a bit of shingle and sniffed it, then popped it in her mouth. "If you see any juicy, fat Muggle children, be sure to send them my way," she said absently, waving her spoon at Neville. 

 

Neville turned back down the way he'd came, toward the path. Ten minutes later, he still hadn't found it again. "How could we have lost it?" he said. "We came straight off the path, and went back straight the same way." 

Harry-the-toad croaked.

Neville trudged on in the same direction. They _had_ to meet up with the path eventually. Brambles tore at his robes, and twisted roots tripped his feet, but he kept going, more determined than ever.

The sound of hoofbeats behind him startled Neville; he didn't want to meet up with a centaur. He ducked behind a tree and pressed his body into a crevice in the trunk. The hoofbeats came closer, and Neville heard voices talking.

"We shall soon be married," a man said. "I will give you the finest silks to wrap around your snow-white skin and jewels for your ebony hair."

"And what of my stepmother?" a girl said. "She will not be pleased to learn I am alive, revived with true love's kiss."

"I will not allow her to harm you."

"You will invite her to the wedding," the girl said.

"Of course--anything you want, my dear."

"And when she arrives, and sees it is me you are marrying, we will give her red-hot iron shoes so that she may dance for us." 

 

Whatever the man said in reply was lost to Neville's ears as they rode away. 

"I didn't know so many people lived in the forest," he said, patting the toad's head. "They don't seem very nice, though."

Harry-the-toad croaked. 

Neville brushed off his robes and looked around. There still wasn't any sign of the path, but he thought he could hear water running in a brook nearby. It would lead to the lake, and all he'd have to do is stay near the stream, if he could find it.

He walked in the direction of the water, stepping over stones and fallen trees. When he got to the brook, he started walking upstream. His round face was pink and shining, and his hair stuck to his cheeks.

They walked on the bank, and the end of Neville's robe dipped in and out of the water. He kept a close watch for Harry, but still the girl managed to startle him. All at once, it seemed, there was a girl in front of them, washing her hands in the stream. 

Her hair was wild, and her face smudged. Her hands were swollen and bleeding in spots.

"Erm," Neville said, approaching slowly. The girl jumped away from the stream and stared at Neville through the dirty tangles of her hair. She didn't speak.

"Have you seen a boy my age? With black hair and green eyes?" he asked. He wondered if it was odd, him noticing the colour of Harry's eyes. He didn't know what colour Seamus or Ron's eyes were. 

The girl pursed her lips tight and shook her head. She stepped back and picked up a bundle she'd left by the bank. Neville gasped; it was a bundle of stinging nettles, and she'd been carrying it bare-handed for some time, judging by the sores on her hands. 

"You ought to have gloves," he said taking a step after the girl. "Or some sort of salve. What do you need with so many nettles, anyway?"

She bit her lip, creating a nasty welt, and held up a little shirt. Neville took another step toward her, and saw that it was woven entirely from the nettles.

"Look, at least find something-- is there a broad-leafed plant, that grows low to the ground near where you pick the nettle? Crush it and rub it on your hands," Neville said, looking around for some Curled dock. 

The girl grunted and lunged at him like a cornered dog when he got too close. Neville jumped back, and Harry-the-toad hopped off his shoulder. 

"We're leaving--it's all right," Neville said, holding his hands out and backing away. She must be wild, or mad. Or both. The girl held her nettles tight to her breast and ran into the deep woods.

"Where did she come from? Where did any of them come from? Hagrid never said anything about people living in the forest," Neville said, looking around for Harry-the-toad. 

Harry-the-toad was gone.

 

Neville scrambled around, frantic. How could he have let this happen? Now all of Harry was missing!

He looked under every leaf and fallen log, losing all track of time and direction. He shouted till his voice went hoarse, but it was hopeless. Harry was completely gone.

It was starting to get dark when he finally heard Trevor-- _Harry_ \--croaking. "Harry!" Neville yelled, running toward the sound. He found Harry-the-toad in the hands of a sour-faced girl in a pretty green dress.

"Is this _your_ frog?" she said, wrinkling her nose. 

"It- he's a toad, actually," Neville said, holding out his hand. "And yes. He's mine."

"Oh, no, I'm not giving him over until I get a kiss," the girl said. "It won't hold still!"

Neville blushed, then stammered, "Y- you want to k- kiss my toad?"

"Of course, silly. What, did you think I wanted to kiss _you_?" 

"Uh- erm, no, o- of course not," Neville said, looking down at his shoes. "Well..." he glanced at Harry-the-toad, who had a distinct expression of dismay on his toad-face. "I don't think he wants to kiss you."

"Don't be stupid. Who wouldn't want to be a handsome prince instead of a slimy old frog?"

Neville stared.

"Don't you know anything? True love's kiss can change a frog into a prince. I did it once before."

"Y- you did it once before? Then why--"

"Didn't work out," the girl shrugged. While Neville puzzled over xthat, she tightened her grasp on Harry-the-toad and planted a smacking kiss on his little toad nose.

Nothing happened.

"Yeuchh. Just a stupid frog," the girl said, making a disgusted face. She flung Harry-the-toad at Neville and traipsed off into the wood.

Neville reached out to catch Harry-the-toad, and nearly dropped him. 

"We've got to find you- _Trevor_ soon. The sun's nearly gone down," he said, holding Harry-the-toad close against his chest. This had all been a very bad idea. He ought to have told someone where he was going. 

 

Neville walked away from the setting sun, hoping he was going in the right direction. He was dirty and sweaty, his robes were all muddy, and his stomach rumbled from hunger. He wanted to sit down and rest, just for a moment, but he had to keep walking. Perhaps if he leaned against a tree for a few seconds, that would be all right, wouldn't it? He focused on a large birch tree several yards ahead. When he got there, he could rest for a second.

A second turned into a minute. Neville pressed his back against the tree and closed his eyes. 

Harry-the-toad croaked.

 

"Neville? Neville Longbottom? What are yeh doing in the forest?"

Neville's eyes blink open. "Hagrid? Hagrid, have you found Harry?" he said quickly, before his eyes could focus on Hagrid's massive face, towering above Neville. Hagrid was a half-giant, and very kind, if not terribly clever.

"Harry? O'course, he's right here. Helpin' me with my beans. An' yer jus' the person I wanted to see. Was going to find Sprout, but yeh'll do fine."

Neville rubbed his eyes and saw Harry-- _Trevor_ -the-boy. He was squatting down behind Hagrid, looking under a stone. "Er... erp," he said, looking up at Neville.

Hagrid bent close and whispered, "He seems a bit... weird today, yeh know?"

"Um, yeah. We should get him back to the castle," Neville said, keeping his eyes fixed on Harry. 

Hagrid nodded, then held out his hand, showing Neville what was in it. "What do you make of these beans?"

There were three enormous, smooth, pale blue beans in Hagrid's palm. "I've never seen them before," Neville said, picking one up.

"They're some sort of hybrid. or so I was told. They're supposed to grow and hatch out a miniature chimera, but I haven't had any luck. Well, they grow all righ', but no little beasties. I don' know what I'm doing wrong."

"Where did you get them?" Neville asked. He hated to think someone might have tricked Hagrid, but he'd never heard of a plant that could hatch an animal. 

"Er... erp," Trevor-the-boy said, moving closer to Neville. 

"That's, ah, not important," Hagrid said, shifting on his feet. "There's one growing not far from here." He pointed through the trees, and started walking. 

Neville saw the gigantic beanstalk well before they reached it. It stretched high above the trees, and into the clouds. He was about to ask Hagrid when he'd planted the bean, he saw something moving. "There's someone climbing on it!"

Indeed, climbing straight down the beanstalk was a man dressed in fine clothes and carrying an odd-looking shoe. "Greetings, peasants," said he when he'd climbed all the way down. "I am searching high and low for the maiden who wears this slipper. Have you seen her?" He held out the shoe, which was glassy and extremely tiny.

"Where did you come from?" Neville blurted out. The man blinked.

"Why, from my kingdom, of course," he said, waving up the beanstalk. "I am searching the land for my true love. She ran out of the ball quite suddenly. I was most perturbed." He frowned, then looked at Neville. "I say, are you looking for a princess to kiss your frog? I met one along the way. Her feet were too big, alas." A confused look flashed across his face, then one of solid determination. He trotted off into the forest without another word.

"Hagrid... I- I don't think you should plant any more of those," Neville said. Hagrid was looking up at the beanstalk.

"Righ'," he said thoughtfully. "I wonder if the beasties are all up at the top..."

"Er... erp," said Trevor-the-boy.

"Shouldn't we go back to the castle now?" Neville said, or tried to say. He'd barely got the first word out when Trevor-the-boy hopped at him and knocked him down, then perched himself on Neville's stomach, making it very hard for Neville to breathe. Harry-the-toad crawled up onto Neville's chest, then slowly up to his face. After a moment, wet toad lips squashed against Neville's.

Neville gasped, then wheezed for air. Harry hopped off of Neville and wiped his lips. "I ate beetles!" he said. 

"What?" Neville said, blinking. "You- you're you?"

"Yeah. Your toad made me eat beetles! And these slimy little things I didn't recognise," Harry said, pointing a finger at Trevor. "He liked having teeth."

"But-- what-- how did you..." Neville sputtered.

"It was worth a try," Harry said with a shrug. "Better than going back and asking _Malfoy_ for the counterspell. All that stuff about kissing frogs and making them change into something else..." he said, blushing slightly.

"Oh. You mean... but it didn't work when that girl did it!"

Harry turned bright red. "Um. Well, she wasn't the right one to do it, I suppose."

"Oh." Now Neville flushed red, and they both looked away and smiled. 

 

And, as they say, they lived happily ever after.

... or at least for a few days, until they had to fight in a war and defeat a Dark Lord. But that's another story all together.


End file.
